Cuphead (video game)
Cuphead is a 2-D run-and-gun shooter video game developed by brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer as Studio MDHR, drawn in the style of 1930s cartoons. The game follows the exploits of Cuphead and Mugman after they lose to the Devil in gambling. To repay their debt, they must take down several bosses (and beat stages) to earn back their freedom. Development Cuphead is the first game by Studio MDHR, an indie game development studio consisting of brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. Its development began in 2010, and they worked on the game from their respective homes in Toronto and Saskatchewan. The game was inspired by 1930s cartoons such as that of Fleischer Studios, Disney, Warner Brothers, and cartoonists Ub Iwerks, Grim Natwick, and Willard Bowsky, particularly their most "subversive and surrealist" elements. Chad Moldenhauer called Fleischer Studios "the magnetic north of his art style." The animation techniques behind Cuphead are similar to that of the 1930s cartoons. Chad Moldenhauer, who had previously worked in graphic design, would hand-draw the animations and paint the backgrounds. He colorized the characters in Photoshop—their sole change from the 1930s process. He also saw his process with its human imperfections as a reaction to the perfectionism of pixel art and, hence, a reimagining of retro games. His brother, Jared Moldenhauer, worked on other aspects of the game, though they would discuss gameplay design together. Their studio hired a Romanian developer, Brooklyn animator, and Ontario jazz musician for the project. They sought to keep the recording processes of the 1930s as if the team were developing in that era. Though the game was shown during the Xbox press event of Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014 to audience approval, Cuphead was not available to play. The game's art was estimated to be 40 percent complete as of July 2014. Cuphead is expected to be extended via expansion packs with 10 to 15 bosses each, similar to how Sonic & Knuckles added atop the Sonic series formula. Gameplay The game features a branching level sequence and is based around continuous boss fights. Cuphead has infinite lives and keeps weapons between deaths. The levels are accessible through an action RPG-style world map with its own secret areas. The game has a two-player cooperative mode that adds another human player to the single-player boss battles playing as Mugman. Main Menu music Reception |} Awards The Game Awards * Best Art Direction * Best Debut Indie Game Soundtrack Main Article: Cuphead Original Soundtrack Gallery Images CupheadSteam.jpg|Steam cover CupheadSteamAlternative.jpg|Alternative Steam cover CupheadOriginalSoundtrack.jpg|Original Soundtrack cover ss_615455299355eaf552c638c7ea5b24a8b46e02dd.jpg ss_483fb089be0093beeef03525276803a9ca4f66a1.jpg ss_48477e4a865827aa0be6a44f00944d8d2a3e5eb9.jpg ss_380296effbf1073bbedfd480e50cf246eb542b66.jpg ss_aefad3850c3bc04000cbe0d620bea6807e0a0331.jpg ss_1bfaa0d236aa99cdc31234aa7aad314898e3d10e.jpg ss_874f2d27a9120ee60cbce0c7bd4085525fd09b26.jpg ss_ae3db08c403209d868e52ae513540e1ba0489302.jpg ss_1335c63f0429da926e8cfd0e1faf59ff65d2f6ef.jpg Pic04.jpg Cuphead-train.png Cuphead-bees.png Cuphead.jpg 2643272-cuphead-screenshot-bat.jpg Menubeta.png Giphy.gif Cuphead local co op mugman by unserious sam-dbpb6m2.jpg Kaleidoscopiccommongodwit size restricted by unserious sam-dbpb6jb.gif VideoToPhoto 636518096773354566.png VideoToPhoto 636518089678211075.png Characters Cuphead Character and Mugman.png|''Cuphead and Mugman'' Elderkettle.png|''The Elder Kettle'' Legendary Chalice.png|''The Legendary Chalice'' Pig shopkeeper.png|''Porkrind'' Potato.png|''Moe Tato'' WeepyTheOnion.png|''Weepy'' Psycarrot.png|''Psycarrot'' Goop 1.png|''Goopy Le Grande'' Blimmp_2.png|''Hilda Berg'' Cagney flower 2.png|''Cagney Carnation'' Ribby_and_Croaks.png|''Ribby and Croaks'' BVBBintro.png|''Baroness Von Bon Bon'' Toastyyy.png|''Sir Waffington III'' Jaww.png|''Lord Gob Packer'' Ballgummy.png|''Sargent Gumbo Gumbull'' Cake.png|''Muffsky Chernikov'' Corn.png|''Kernel Von Pop'' Candy Castle.png|''Whippet Creampup'' Clown.png|''Beppi the Clown'' Djimmi's intro.png|''Djimmi the Great'' Birb house.png|''Wally Warbles'' Birb son.png|''Wally's son'' Drag mor.png|''Grim Matchstick'' Bee.png|''Rumor Honeybottoms'' Brineybeard.png|''Captain Brineybeard'' SallyBride.png|''Sally Stageplay'' WW1 Rat.png|''Werner Werman'' Kahl&Bot.png|''Dr. Kahl's Robot'' Mermaid intro.png|''Cala Maria'' Blind Spector Intro.png|''Blind Spector'' 4.png|''T-Bone'' BlazeBrothers.png|''Blaze Brothers'' Choochoo narrow.png|''Head of the Train'' Drunk.png|''Tipsy Troop'' ChipsBettigan.png|''Chips Bettigan'' Wheezy intro.png|''Mr. Wheezy'' Pip and Dot.png|''Pip and Dot'' HopusPocus.png|''Hopus Pocus'' PhearLap.png|''Phear Lap'' Pirouletta.png|''Pirouletta'' 8Ball.png|''Mangosteen'' Monkey BOI.png|''Mr. Chimes'' Cuphead king dice sprite.png|''King Dice'' Cuphead_devil_sprite.png|''The Devil'' Videos CUPHEAD - Teaser Trailer|Teaser Trailer Cuphead E3 2014 Trailer|E3 2014 Trailer Cuphead Trailer E3 2015|Trailer E3 2015 Cuphead Announcement Trailer Xbox One Windows 10 Steam|Announcement Trailer Cuphead Launch Trailer Xbox One Windows 10 Steam GOG|Launch Trailer Category:Cuphead